Mulholland



April 9,'1929. l -V MU'fHcl-MND Re. `17,263

METHOD AND APPARATUS. FOR ANNEALING VGLASSWARE Original Filed March 31. 19251 7 Sheets-Sheet 2y WZZZZM Y v. MULHQLLAND METHOD AND APPARATUS AFOB. ANNEALING GL ASSWARe' "I Sheets-Sheet 5 r`oiginal Filed hun 31. 192s 3 6 2, j .7 1. ...m M l? A w. W I- 0 7 aZ u M .u m M D 1, mm n L A .m f L R t mim m WZ L .w 5W U T 1 M m n P l V u m. D m D O un m u April 9, 1929.

n:.20 tend to disrupt it.

Remmen. 9, 1929.

4UNITED STATESy PATENT OFFICE.

vnnerr. MULHOIJDAND, or WEST HAn'rronD, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNon To HARTFORD- Durmn COMPANY, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

METHOD AND APPARATUS son ANNDALING GLAssWABE.

original nu. 1,571,137, dated This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for annealing glassware and particularly for annealing a continuous succession of articles delivered from a ware-shap-` 5 ing machine. More specifically, it relates to.

the-annealing of glassware in a lehr of the4 tunnel type in which the ware passes in pron set out in the open air it will cool too rapidly 1 5 and unevenly. Its outer surface will cool f and contract more rapidly than its interior portions, thus altering the relative dimensions and locations of different portions of 4the piece and creating stresses therein, which To avoid or minimize these stresses is the object of annealing.` If

not suiiciently or properly annealed, so that undue internal stresses still exist therein, the article breaks easily vwhen used or handled,

- and may even fly into small pieces sponta neously.

`In annealing glassware commercially, 4it is customary to pass the ware, disposed in several longitudinal rows side'by side on a metallic conveyor, through a vpassage or tunnel heated to'a. low red heat at the entrance end I for 20% or 25% of its length and having a gradually decreasing temperature toward the 1 v discharge end where vit approaches atmospheric temperature. Such an apparatus is known as a tunnel lehr. In the usual practice'of annealing with such tunnel lehrs, the v`first step is an attempt at equalizing the temperature in each article byreheating it to ap- 14'0" proximately. fa low red heat, or at least to a "i conditionV sciently plastic to release any stressesexisting therein. After this thear- -ticle is gradually cooled as it passes through the tunnel. v

f 4 In the construction of the usual lehrs above described, the wre is carried through the Vtunnel onfia conveyor, which may be composed of aseries of slats or pans carried by chains.

it is of necessity spaced from the floor ofthe Whatever the construction of this conveyor,

January as, 192e, sensing. 19,615', nica March. a1,vr 1925. Appuuaunn for reissue led July 26, 1928.4 Serial No. 295,590.

tunnel, and the space between the conveyor*` and the floor forms, lin effect, a fluel through which alr currents passlin one direct-ion or the other and inwhich convection currents are continually in circulation.-

No attempt has been made to control'or regulate the 4air currents set up in the lehr below the conveyor and above the floor,y and as the lehrs are `usually horizontal, the longitudinal ilow of air throuehlthis liue, formed below the conveyor, has been subject to constant variations during the operation, of the lehr, depending upon outside circuinstances, such as the direction of the wind.

The horizontal position of the lehr has causedthe same result in the air currents in the space above the conveyor, that is, at one time there may be an out-draft at the receiving wend of the lehr and at another time there may be an iii-draft, makin a uniform treatment of the ware impossib e. Thus, it is ap- -parent that the structures heretofore em ployed have of necessity produced uncontrollable air currents at uncontrolled temperatures, Which prevented uniformity in the condv tinued operation of the lehr, and made it im? possible to subject the articles 'rn a single transverse row across the conveyor to the same heat conditions. Such lehrs require a large amount of fuel. Moreover, the annealing done by them is frequently more or less uncertain and incomplete, due notonly to inadequate control of the initial heating and the rate of subsequent cooling of the ware, but also to considerable differences in temperature between diierent points in the same transverse section or 4zone of the tunnel. This causs or permits too Wide la `difference in temperature between different portions ofthe same article and betweelrdifferent articles of the same transverse row as the articles advance through the lehr'. Under these conditions, an extremely slow rate of cooling is employed in an attempt to anneal the. particular articles under the most adverse heat conditions. Even with this slow esY parts of each article and all of the ware in each transverse row in the lehr, at approximately the same temperature while cooling.

If there is an substantial diiference lin temperature in different parts of the same article, it will not be properly annealed and if one article in a transverse row varies greatly in ltemperature from another article, one or the other of the articles will not be properly nealing temperature, and are held at this temperature a sufficient tlme to permit the re- 1 lease of strains, and if the subsequent cooling ybe kept uniform as to allportions of. the article, it can be cooled and annealed perfectly, which result is not possible in the usual commercial lehr. This is an ideal condition for annealing and permits the article to be annealed and cooled in a minimum time, as for instance, with certain kinds of ware, in lessy than one hour as compared with two and cnelhalf to live hours in the old-style lehr. The

nearer such ideal conditions can be approached in a tunnel lehr, the more eiiicient and better will be its annealing.

A more complete discussion of the abovementioned factors will be found in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 661,827, filed Sept. 1 0, 1923, on many features of which the present application constitutes an improvement.

The general objects of the present inven-v tion are to produce better annealing of glassware, to save as much fuel as possible in the annealing, and to reduce the time of annealing, as well as t`o overcome or minimize various disadvantages of existing tunnel lehrs.

More specifically, the ob'ect is to create a proper environment throu which the glassware may be moved continuously on a conveyor .and in which it may be subjected, as

nearly as possible, to the ideal cooling condltions to produce the best possible annealing and to reduce the time and cost of the operation. v

Another object is to provide improved A means, and methods for controlling the tem-- perature throughout the length of a lehr tunnel so as t-o reduce as near the ideal environment for tlhe Ware as possible.

Another object of the invention is to overcome the uncontrolled air currents which, a's

previously mentioned, have heretofore existed both above and below the conveyor. ,This

object is accomplished byl arran ing the lehr at a slight inclination w ich in uces @draft of air tow'ard the higher, hot end, thus preventing any air'currents from -flowing ir. the opposite, direction and securing control of such convection' currents as may'eiist In order to ment air currents from fle 5 ng' below the conveyor, the present lehr provides a conveyor in direct contact with the lehr lfloor on one side and the ware on the other.

Another/object is to control the local convection currents within the tunnel and utilize them in producing'the desired thermal environment for the ware and in producing as nearly a uniform temperature as possible Vthroughout any article or transverse row of articles.

Another object is to provide a lehr tunnel composed of standard sections which may be placed end to end to any desired length. Morefspecific objects are to provide various structural features to be pointed out below. In carrying out the foregoing objects, I provide a lehr having a plurality of lower fines extendin longitudinally beneath the tunnel and a p urality of upper ues extending longitudinally above the tunnel, all of said iiues being provided with damper-controlled openings arranged at spaced intervals throughout their length and communicating with the outside atmospherm Heated gases are passed through the lower lues from the receivin end of, the lehr toward the delivery end t ereof., and the tem perature of the gases, and therefore the temperature of the floor of the tunnel throughout its length, is controlled at will by adjusting the dempers in these flues to dilute the l gases with air at selected intervals.

Cooling airis passed through the upper ilues in a direction opposite to that of the flow ofthe heated gases, and the cooling effect of the air is also regulated to control the temperature of the top of the tunnel throughout its length 'by adjusting the dampers in these fines to ermit more or less of the air to escape to t e outside atmosphere at selected intervals.

By properly adjusting the dempers in both the upper and lower fiues,pthe temperatures at the bottom and at the top of the tunnel may be independently regulated so as to control the circulation .of local heat-convection cur-l rents in the tunnel thereby rendering it posgreat surface area in proportion to its mass,

and therefore'A follows very closelythe temperature of its' environment. l The roof or upper Wall of the utunnel is constructed lof ,metallic sheetsprovided with av plurality of parallel, longitudinally-extending-corrugations substantially in cross-section. These corrugations rovide the .cooling fines, mentioned above, orconthe tunnel, and they also provide a top of relatively greatv heat-radiating surface in comparison with thefwidth of the tunnel. y The angularity of the sides of the corrugations is such as to disperse transversely the radiated heat reflected from their surfaces `and also to produce a transversely distributed effect injabsorbing radiated heat. In .this way they tend to produce a uniform distribution of These features, aseifell as additional features'of novelty to be hereinafter pointed out, will be best understood from the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1- is a diagrammatic side view of a. ylehr, constructed -1n accordance with my invention; V

Fig. 2 is a verticalv longitudinal section through the receiving end ofthe tunnel and i the fire box, taken on the Vline 2--2 of Fig. 6

Fig. 3 is a similar view' through a succeeding section of the lehr; o

Fig. 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly'in vertical section of the exit end of the lehr; l y A l Fig'. 5is a horizontal step section through 1the entrance end ofthe tunnel andthe fire ox; o Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section taken online 6-6 of Fig.- 2; o

` Fig. 7 is a similar view through the delivery endof the lehr; j

Fig. 8 isv a fragmentary plan view of the receiving end of the lehr, illustrating the ware-spacing device for the donveyor;`

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the conveyor driving mechanismi Fig. 10 `is a vertical longitudinal section through the mechanism shown inFig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a Vertical transverseJsection throughl oneof the supports for the top of the lehr, showing the expansion joint between the metallic plates which form the roof of the tunnel.

The present lehr comprises in general, as indicated in Fig. 1, an entrance or receiving section A; an exit or delivery section B; a plurality ofintermediatesections C,of any desired number; a lire box D, located lbeneath the receiving section A; a delivery table or platform E located at the exit end ofthe tunnel; an endless belt conveyor F, the warebearing strand ofwhich traverses the tunnel and the table E, and the idle strand of which returns to the receiving or hot end of the tunnel beneath the lehr; and a`conveyor-driving mechanism G. The several sections of the lehr are supported in' end-to-end relation to form a tunnel,

by suitable frame-work 1, which may be adjusted vertically, as by the bolt-and-slot -eonstruction 1li shown in Fig. The tunnel is eat throughout any transverse zone -of the tunnel'.

' lating cement 3. The cement bed 3 is,

, cause a tendency for air to ilow through the tunnel, in an opposite direction to the ware movement that is barely sufficient to 'prevent an inflow/of cold air at the hot end of the tunnel without necessarily exerting a material cooling influence upon the ware. Such a cooling influence by a longitudinal currentof air may be employed to a slight extent, ifdesi'red, provided the longitudinal current is s ltliciently broken up by local transverse c nvection currents to prevent an injurious effect from stratification of air at different temperatures. In thisl way, the local convection currents moving transverse to the longitudinal Vcurrent will permit the cooling effect of the longitudinal current and still tend to produce a uniform temperature throughout any trans-V verse zone of the tunnel. The bottom wall of the receiving section A, and several of the succeeding intermediate sections C, may be constructed as shown in Figsf2 and 3, of heat insulating brick 2 laid on a. bed of heat-insuin turn, supported by a bed plate 4 and side channel bars 5 (Fig. '6) which latter constitute apart of the frame-work 1.

The side walls of the sections A and the lehr each comprise spaced inner and ou parallel sheetV metal plates 6 and 7 respective-i ly (Fig. 6) which provide a housing for insuprovidedv with bright heat-reiiecting yinner 4 surfaces. -The thin sheet-metal lates 6 may t be quickly heated up to their wor ring temper-xI ature with a minimum amount of heat, since their heat capacity is very low. The insula` tion 8 outside of these plates reduces the d-issipation of heat to the outside, so that only a minimum amount of heat is required to main` tain the lehr tunnel at the desired temperature.` The bright inner surfaces of the `plates 6 reflect the (heat radiated from the Ware and thus assist in maintaining` a uniform temperature throughout any transverse row 'of ware. Y l

4The top of the lehrl 4comprises inner. and. outer ysheet-metal plates 9 and l0 respectively, which aresu ported at their front and rear edges in en tq-end relation, longitudi* nally of the lehr, by transverse metallic beams or girders 11 carried by the framework 1 (Fig. 7). The inner plates 9 are providedlwith aplu'rality of ylongitudinall y ex- .l tending V-shapedscorrngaftions 12 whic to gether'with the outer plates 10, form a plunity (lf-longitudinal and ,parallel fcooling yiiues 13, which project 'into the tunnel space;4

as best shown. in Figs., 6 and 7. The upper bends or corrugations of the plates 9 may, if desired, be slightly spaced `below the `upper plates 10, so as to permit an exchange of air between the several cooling lues, which tends `to equalize the pressureand temperature therein. In addition, the corrugations provide a'roof for the tunnel having a relatively large heat-absorbing surface in comparison to the width ofthe tunnel. The angularityv of the sides of the corrugations 12 is such as to reiect the radiated heat downwardly at. an angle to the vertical and to absorb heat radiated from points to one side of the vertical` thereby tending to equalize the tempcrature transversely of the tunnel. The beams 11 are formed with a series of V-shaped depressions to accommodate the corrugations 12 and provide seats therefor. The upper surfaces of the beams 11 are also formed,

as best shown in Fig. 11, With parallel channels 14 adapted to contain an insulating` packing 15 upon which the edges of the plates 9 and 10 are secured for a limited d e'f grec of sliding movement by metallic strips 1G and bolts 17 threaded into the beams 11.

Sufficient clearance is provided between the opposed edges of the plates 9 and 10 to ermit their longitudinal expansion w ien heated. i

i The top of the lehrabove the heated end and above several of the succeeding sections is insulated, to retard the cooling of the ware, by several layers of ibrous insulating .joints between the mem the Working thereof.

in end-to-end relation in pairs longitudinally i of the tunnel. These members form the floor of the tunnel and provide two parallellengitudinal heating iues 2 0, The ,f channel members 19 are maintained against displace-y ment by clips 21 which engage lips 22 formed in the sides of the members, and by bolts23 (Figs. 3 and 5) which extend through bosses 24 provided near the central portion of (ine end of each of the members 1,9. The .bosses 24 also act as additional supportsforl'the bottom of the tunnel and assist in preventing roviding -expansion rs 19, the topedge each of these members For the purpose of of theffixed end of overlaps a channel formed in the adjacent edge of the next'succeeding member and which is filled with a gas-tight packing 26. Sutlicient clearance is allowed-between the- Opposed edges of this ber,

25 (Fig.'2) which isheating flue 20,

members 19 to permit their longitudinal ex- 4 I pansion when heated. Since the members 19 are anchored to the bottom.of the lehr at one of their ends only, they are free to'exand toward the opposite end without Warping or buckling. f

The lehr is heated by a burner 27 (Fig. 2') which projects a flame forwardl through an opening 28 into a combustione iamber 29 provided in the fire box D. This chamber is provided with an inner lining 30 of refractory material and' with an outer covering 31 of heat-insulating brick supported by transverse channel bars 32 secured to the frame 1 of the lehr.

The character of the combustion in the chamber 29 may be observed through two ports' 33 disposed one on each side of the burner inlet 28, as best -shown in Fig. 5. As the'products of combustion from the burner pass forwardly, they enter a relatively 'Wide portion 34 of the chamber 29, Where they'arc diluted, to lower their temperature, by air from the Aoutside atmosphere which is admitted through vtvvo parallel duets35 provided in the bottom kof the chamber. Observation ports 36 are also provided-in 4the side walls of the chamber 34. The amount of diluting air that is admitted to the chamber 34 through the ducts 35 is regulated at will by dam-pers 37 which may be manipulated, i necessary, to admit moreor less air to one side or to the other of the chamber, thus distributing the heat equallyi transversely of the chamber. Y

As the products of combustion pass forwardly they encounter a baille 38 (Figs. 2 and 5) provided on the bottom of the chamber 34, over which they pass through spaced ports 39.' As the products of combustion emerge from the ports 39 they encounter a second baiile 4() depending from thetp of the chamwhich detlects them doWnwardly,-and beneath which they pass through ports 41. The products of combustion are thoroughly intermingled and the'temperature thereof is evenly distributed transversely of the lehr as-they emerge from the ports 41 by reason of'their tortuous passage from the combustion chamber 29. The heated gases in this condition then rise through spaced vertical iues 42 and encounter an angle plate 43 which forms a continuation of the metallic bottom of the tunnel and which deiiects theheated gases rearwardly into'the heating. ues 20, beneath the lehr tunnel. The construction of the're box D and vits arrangement beneath the receiving end of the lehr not only insures oughly mixed before the are admitted to the but re uces the size ofthe lehr, and permits easy access to the entrance of the tunnel and to the conveyor.

The heated gases are drawn throughA the' ilues 20 by a motor-driven exhaust fan .that the products of combustion are thorshown 1 and 4, which is mounted on an overhead framcrstructure 45. This fan communicates, through" a. 'pipe 46, 'with a 'pair of'vertical lue's 47, disposed one on each side of the lehr and communicating at their lower ends, through a transverse duct 48, with both of the ilucs 20. j' i The temperatures in the fines are regulated by the admission of regulated amounts of air from the outer atmosphere as suitably spaced points lengthwiseof these lues.

Such admission of air is controlled by means "of dempers 49 provided at openings 50 which are located at intervals along therflues 20 and which communicate with the outside atmosphere. One of these openings, With its damper arrangement, is shown in Fig. 3, and

others are indica-ted in Fig. 1. A damper 51 is also provided in thepipe 46 to regulate the draft `produced by the fan 44.

Cooling air is forced through the fines 13 in the top of the lehr tunnel, in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the heating gases in the flues 20, by means of a fan 52 shown inFigsl and 4. This fan is mounted -on the blower-supporting frame 45 and communicates With all of the fines 13 through a common flue or conduit 53 provided `with a `damper 54. f Y

I49 and 55 in the heating tlues 20 and the cooling flue 13 respectively, the desired temperature gradients may be obtained in these fiues and the portions of the tunnel adjacent thereto. That is to say, the character of the temperature curves obtained by plotting tem-- peratures as ordinates against distance along the lehr as abscissae,`.in both the heating flueY and in the cooling flue is determined by the number of the damper-controlled openings, by the amount that the dampersl are opened to the outside atmosphere. and also by the location of the dempers. For example, the less the amount of coolingl air from the outer atmosphere that is. permitted to enter the forward or hotter portions ofthe rheating lues 20, the greater distance will the heat vin these tlues influence the temperatures therein; and the less the amount of cooling air that is allowed to escape from the rear or cooler ends of the cooling fines 13, the greater distance Will the coolingair traverse these fiues. It therefore follows that by regulating the amount that the gases in the heating flues are diluted and cooled by outside air, and by regulating theamount of cooling airescaping through the stacks from the cooling iues 13 and by also determining the location of the dempers theta-re adjusted, the resultant temperature vgradients of the top and. -bottom portions ofthe tunnel mayl not only be Veontrolled at Will, but the point or zone of maximum drop in 'the temperature curves may be shifted longitudinally of the tunnel. i

By thus heating the floor of the-tunnel to cause upwardly lmoving convection cur-rents and by cooling the top of the tunnel to cause downwardly moving convection currents- -and Aby independently regulating the degree of heating land cooling, 'the rate of movement of-theconvection currents in the tun- 8l) nel .may be controlled at Will, thereby rendering 1t possible to obtain a.=-substantially uniform temperature, so far as its effect upon the Ware is concerned, in a vertical direction in any transverse section or zone in the tun- 85 nel. X

The draft in the combustion chamber may be controlled independently of the damper 5l by ada-mper 57 Which, as shown in Fig. 3,

is provided in a transverse U-shaped duct 58 Which is formed in the bottom of the lehrJ and Which establishes communication between the parallel heating i'lues 20. This damper, for convenience, is operated by means of a suitable screw-threaded rod provided With a hand VWheel 59 (Fig. l) that is located at a point .adjacent to the lire box D, thus permitting the operatorto regulate the draft in the combustion chamber at the same time that he is regulating and observing the character of the burner. A

The Vreceiving tableE consists of a pluame delivered by the l rality of spaced parallel ltmgitudinalbars or rrails 60 (Figs. l, 4 and 10) which are sup- 10| ported at their forward ends by the frame of the deliver section B of the lehr, and at their rear ends y a frame 61 of the belt driving Amechanism G. This t ble provides a support for the conveyor as 1t emerges from the 110 tunnel bearing the annealed Ware, and is of suflicient length topermit several persons to stand side by s1de on each side of the table to inspect and remove the Ware from the con-` veyorfor packing. The conveyor F and the 11g tableE are sufliciently narrow to permit easyaccess, from either side of the table, to Ware located in the central portion of the conveyor.

The conveyor F is an endless belt of iiexi- 120 ble open structure, thel ware-bearing,strand of which lies flatupon the cast iron inverted channel members 19, which constitute the bottom of the lehr tunnel, and upon the rails 60.

of the receiving table E. I prefer that the conveyor belt be composedof woven wire fabric, as the relatively small amount -of metal employed in a conveyor of such type,

together with its openwork structure, insures a low heat capacity,'a large heat-radiating surface area in comparison with its mass, maximum radiation of heat through the openings in the conveyor, and minimum contact with both the bottom of the tunnel and with the ware.

As best shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the conveyor, as it advances over the end of the re-v ceiving table E, passes over a roller 62 journaled in the frame 61 and thence forwardly and around a driving drum 63 which is mounted on a shaft 64journa1ed in the frame 61. At the point where the Vbelt leaves the drum 63, it passes over and rearwardly around a roller 65which is journaled at its ends in side blocks 66, mounted in ways 67.

Y The drum 63 and the roller 65 are provided with resilient anti-slipping coverings 68 and 69 respectively, composed 'of rubber or the like, so as to present a tractive surface tothe belt and insure a positive driving contact therewith.4 The roller 65 is maintained in gripping contact with the belt F by jack screws 7() which are threaded in the ways 67 and which. bear against the side blocks 66.

rllhe drum 63 and theroller 65 are rotated by a sprocket wheel 71, which is driven in any preferred manner. mounted on a shaft 72 which carries a worm 73 meshing with a worm wheel 74 carried by a shaft 75. A pinion 76 is also keyed to the, shaft 75, and meshes with a gear wheel 77 mounted on a shaft 78. A pinion 79 is also keyed to the shaft 7 8 and meshes with a gear wheel 80 carried by the drum 63. The gear wheel 80 meshes with a gear wheel 81 on the roller 65 whereby both the drum and roller are driven at the same peripheral speed.

The conveyor belt F, after passing around the roller 65 passes forwardly and around an idler roller 83 and thence upwardly and over a roller 84 carried by the frame 61. The idler roller 83 is carried by arms 85 which are pivot-I ally connected to a shaft 86 carried by the frame 61 and may be adjusted to take up anyV slack in the belt F by means of adjustable rods 87, which are secured at their rear ends to the arms 85, and at their forward ends to the frame 1 of the delivery section B of the lehr. After leaving the roller 84, the belt F passes forwardly beneath the lehr and is supported at intervals by rollers 88 which are mounted on the frames 1 of the several sections of the lehr. At the forward or receiving end of the lehr, the lower strand-of the belt F is supported, as shown in Fig. 6, by a guideway or track 89 disposed beneath the tire box D. As the beltI leaves this track, it passes around a roller 90 and upwardly parallel to the front end of the fire box and thence over a roller 93 disposed adjacent to the entrance of the tunnel. From the roller 93 the belt passes over the angle plate 43 and inte the front end of the lehr tunnel.

The sprocket wheel 71 is v and 96 to In order to facilitate the transmission of heat fromthe angle plate 43 to the conveyor, this element is preferably rovided with' a ribbed upper surface 94 (Fig. 5), thus giving a greater heat-radiating area than would be the case if the baille 43 presented a' flat surface to the conveyor belt.` The ribbedl surface also reenforces the batlie and tends to prevent any warping of this element through expansion and constraction. j

The upper portion of the entrance of the tunnel is closed by a block or slab 95 of insulating material, the lower edge of whichterminates at a sufficient' distance from the conveyor to permit the passage of ware therebeneath. An insulating block 96 carried by a forwardly and rearwardly/adjustable Z- plate 96 is mounted on the bottom of the lehr at a slight distance from the tunnel opening and may carry a plurality of spaced vertical wire mesh partitions 97. These partitions separate the width of the lehr tunnel into equal spaces, each of sufficient width to ac commodate a bottle, thus insuring that the ware is equallyspaced transversely of the tunnel when placed on the conveyor belt by the carrying-in 'boy in installations not equipped with a mechanical lehr-stacking device.

The blocks 95 and 96 together practically closethe entrance end of the tunnel in a horizontal direction and tend to retard the flow of air through the tunnel. By reason of the offset disposition of these blocks relative to each other, 'ware 'may be inserted between them in a vertical direction in depositing it on the conveyor. A block 43a of heat insulating material is disposed adjacent to the member 43 and prevents air from entering the tunnel beneath the block 96. Sufficient space is, however, provided between thepblocks 43 permit the conveyor to pass therebetween.

The Ware is prevented' from contacting with the inner side walls-6 of the tunnel by means of longitudinal ribs 98, which are secured to the side walls of the tunnel adjacent to the surface of the conveyor belt.

Pyromcter velements may be inserted into the tunnel at any desired points for indicating the temperatures within the tunnel. For this purpose, pipe sections 99 are shown on Figs. 6 and 7 extending through the top of the lehr and held in place by nuts 100. Similar inlet pipes for inserting pyronleter elements may be provided in the side walls as shown at 101, Fig. 7, for the purpose of determining the temperature in the heating fines.

In operation, the ware is deposited on the conveyor F and is carried by the conveyor into the tunnel. During the first part of its travel through the tunnel, the ware is subjected to av temperature necessary to brin@r it to a uniform temperature for a sufficient time heat;

Vto permitof the release of strains. After the strains have been relievedthe ware is carried by the conveyor into an environment of' a gradually decreasing temperature through lwhich it passes until it emerges from the tunnel atthe delivcrynd thereof in an annealed condition. Although the glass isconveyor, inspected and packed by operators stationed on each side of the table E. After passing over the end of the table E, the eon veyor passes through the .driving mechanisln G heretofore described and thence forwardly v beneath thetunnel toits entrance end.'

By properly adjusting the various dempersy v in the upper and lower flues, the temperature of the tunnel may be regulated to suit the particular requirements of the type of Ware being annealed. l c i For example, if'the initial heat contentof the ware at the time-that it is delivered to the lehr is insufficient, afterhaving become uniformly distributed throughout the ware,

to permit the strains existing in thev glass to be effectively relieved, additional heat mustl besupplied to the ware from .an external source. In such 'cases the tem erature in the fines 2O is maintained sufficiently high, through a portion of their length, to maintain thevenvironment of the tunnel for Va.

- corresponding distance at a temperature" at a reasonable time.

which strains in the lass may relax within 'Idle flues 2O throughout this particular portion of their length function as heat-ing flues. y V

After the ware reaches' this temperature,I

the cooling operation may be begun, and the rate at `which the ware is cooled lfrom this Apoint on is'determlned byl proper adjustment of the various dempers. It may occur that, owing tothe "particular character of the Ware, the cooling operation may' be accelerated and in such instances the flues 20 may bey `utilized throughoutthe remainder of their length as `cooling flues by adjusting-the 4dampers 4.9 so as tolower the temperature in these flues below that of the ware.

In other 4cases sufcientinitial heat is retained' in certain' portions ofthe ware, so

- that after it has become uniformly distributed throughout" the were, lthetemperature there.-v .of is sufficiently hi h to permitthe strains'to l be relieved.-

n er such conditions, it is unnecessaryrto v'supply additionalheat to the ware and the temperature in the4 flues 20 may consequently be maintained lowerthan that of the Ware,` and these flues may thus function as cooling fiues throughout4 their entire length. Inl such instances, the temperature in the fluxes 20, while being lower than that of the Ware, is maintained sufiieienthigh to restrict the dissipation of heat 1 vt'iierefrom to the proper rate.

The dampers 49 in theflues 2.() permit a very flexible control of the temperature in these flues, as the bottom of the tunnel,being the temperature in these flues. It, therefore, :follows that by properly manipulating the d'ampers 49 in the flues 20, the exchange of heat between the Ware and the metallic bottom of the tunnel may be also very accurately controlled. f y

By means of the abovefdescribed features,

suchv as the tunnel wall construction, .which providefor proper insulation, radiation and reflection of heat; the corrugated top or wall, adapted to uniform transverse i thermal effects; and the flues above ang-below the .tunnel separated therefrom-lbyheir metal walls, which control the: rate o movementv of' convection currents; the temperature of the Vof metallic construction, follows veryiclosely ware throughout any transverse. section orl l zone of the tunnelis made so nearly uniform asl to approximate the ideal environment. The temperature in any transverse zone of the tunnel issubstantially the same, so far Vas its effect upon the Wipre is concerned, in

the top, bottom, `sides nd corners of that zone. n

Thus, as the articles pass through thesuccessivczones of the tunnel they retain or 4 acquire `the progressively alling temperatures of those zones, and all portions of every i .article passing through any zone acquire approximately the temperature of that zone with suflicient uniformity for practical annealing. By this apparatus and method of temperature con-tro, average glass articles may be annealed in a very-short time, requiring in many eases less than one hour for the i annealing and final cooling, as against the usual time of two and onea required by 'the best previous 'commercial annealing lehrs.V

The various features of the invention herelf to five hours `in described as incorporated in a .single or ganized apparatus may be used separately or 1n other combinations, and various modificationsmay be made in the arrangement and construction of the/parts, and in the method of cooling the article to be annealed. For some uses, as for example for the handlingy of'` only one kind of Ware, some of the ad` justments and other provisions for handling varied kinds of Ware may be` dispensed with.

The lehr tunnel may be made' integral throughout its lengt-h. 14n this and in other )ways the method and apparatus herein described and shown may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: y

1. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises passing a series of glass articles through a tunnel, heating a wall of said tunnel by passing a current of heatedgases adjacent thereto, and regulating the heating of said wall by cooling said gases at predetermined intervals in the path of travel thereof.

2. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises passing a series of glass ar- 4 t-icles through a tunnel, heating the bottom of said t-unnelby passing a current of heated gases therbeneath, andregulating the hea-ting of bottom by cooling said gases at predetermined intervals longitudinally7 of said tunnel.

3. The method of Vannealing glassware,

.which comprises passing aseries of glass articles through atunnel, heating a wall of said I' tunnel by passinga current of heated gases adjacent thereto, and regulating the heating of said wall by diluting said gases with cold air from the outer atmosphere atl predetermined intervals in the path of said gases.

4. The method of annealing glassware, which comprises passing theware through a tunnel, heating the lower portion of the tunnel to cause upwardly moving convection currents, coolin the upper portion of theturi` `tunnel to. cause nel to cause ownwardly movingy convection currents, and independently regulating both -both the heating and the cooling of said' porcurrents to' obtain a substantially uniform` temperature in said portions ofthe tunnel tions ofthe tunnel at intervals in the path of travel of the ware to selectively retard and accelerate the movement of said convection and to vary at will the temperature gradient in said tunnel. .l

y6. The method of annealing glassware,

. which comprises passing ware through a tunnel, directing a current of heated gases adj acent to the tunnel, and diluting said current at intervals with atmospheric air to lower the temperature of said tunnel below that of the ware and to control at will the temperature gradient in said tunnel.

7. 'A lehr for annealing lassware comprisin a tunnel, a ue associated with said tunne means for causing a heating medium' to flow through said flue, and means for reducing the' temperature in said flue selectively at an one of a plurality of intervals along said ue, and for thereby changing at will the temperature within said tunnel.

8. A lehr for annealing glassware comprisino a tunnel, a iue associated with said tunne means for causing a heating medium to flow through said flue, the said flue being divided into a plurality of independently controllable heating zones, and means for increasing or decreasing at will the' tempera- 'ture in anyof the said zones.

9. A lehr for glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a heated flue disposed beneath said tunnel, a cool flue disposed above said tunnel, and means -or independently regulating the temperature gradient in each of said ues longitudinally of the tunnel to vary 4 the temperature gradient in said tunnel.

10. A lehr for glassware comprising an annealing tunnel, a heating flue and a coolingl flue associated with saidtunnel,'damper controlled openings in said flue communicating with the outside atmosphere for independently regulating the temperature gradient in each of said iiues to vary the temperature gradient in said tunnel.

11. A lehr for lassware comprising a tunnel,`-a iiue exten ing longitudinally beneath said tunnel, meansl for causing hot gases to flow through said flue, and means for introducing atmospheric air into said ue at intervals to vary at will the temperature gradient in said tunnel.

12. A lehr for lassware comprisin a tunnel, a flue exten in longitudinally eneath said tunnel, means or causing heated gases to How through said flue, and means for diluting said gases with air from the outside atnoV mosphere at intervals in the path of travelV of said gases to regulate the temperature drop l in said flue and tunnel.

13. A lehr for glassware comprisin-O' a tunnel, a iue extending longitudinally Beneath saidetunnel, means for causing heated gases to low through said lue, and a plurality of damper-controlled openings arranged atintervals longitudinally of said lue, and capable of being selectively opened to admit air into said flue to vary at will the temperature adient in said flue and tunnel.

14. ,A lehr for glassware comprising a tim-` nel, a flue extending longitudinally beneath said tunnel, means for causingheated gases to iiow through said flue to heaty the-lower portion o f said tunnel, a flue extending longitudinally above said tunnel, means for causing cooling air to flow through said last-men-y tioned iiue to cool the upper portion of said tunnel, and a plurality of-damper-controlled openings arranged at intervals longitudinally of both of said iiues and communicating' with the loutside atmosphere to,` vergat',

will the temperature gradient in said tunnel. T1130. i

tunnel, means for causing ailowjof heated as I Ithrough said flue, and means' for admitting 15. A lehr com risinga tunnel, said tunnel being incline downwardlyfrom its re ceiving end to its delivery end to cause a tendency for the heated air therein to accu- ,mulate adjacent to the entrance thereof, a

flue extending longitudinally beneath said regulable uantities of air from the outer atmosphere into said flue at` interifals longitudinally thereof to dilute the gases in said flue and vary at will the temperature gradient` in said tunnel. r

16. A'lehr comprising an annealin tunnel, a heating ilue extending longitucinall y beneath said tunnel, a iire box located beneat the receiving'end ofsaid tunnel, a combustion chamber ign said lire box, means for causing products of combustion produced in said combustion chamber to ilow toward the receiving end of said tunnel and then in the opposite direction through said flue, anda y from said chamber to said flue.

`a heatin associated with the f ire box,

v therlng atmospheric air into pluralit of baiile elements in the path of travelo said products of combustion to cause a tortuous ilo-W of said products in -passing 17. A lehr comprising an annealing tunnel,

flue extendin lon itudinally beneatlisaid tunnelya fire ox ocated beneath the receiving end of said tunnel, a combustion chamber in said iire Abox,'firingmeanf's means for causing products of combustion produced in said fire box to vlow'toward the receiving end of said 'tunnel and' then in the opposite direction through said ue, and means located between means and the flue for introducing said iire box to' dilute the sald products of combustion and regulate the temperature thereof.

118. A `lehr comprising an nel, a heating flue extending annealin tunlongitu inally beneath said tunnel, a fire box located beneath i th ' the bustion cham e receiving end of said tunnel, a combustion chamber in said irebox, means for causin' roducts of combustion prdduced in sai com ustion chamber to iiow toward the receiving end of said tunnel and then in the opposite direction through` said ilus', and means for re ating the'draft in said com.-

.the opposite direction through' said ilue, and

' means for sifting the draft in said combustionV Y'chamber transversely thereof. y

v 20. A lehrcomprisinga tunnel, a member orclosing the upper portion of the entrance r to uniformly distribute the endr of said a member for closing y l the lower ,portion of the entrance end of said tunnel, sald'members being disposedin different vertical planes to permit Ware to be inserted between said members in depositing -it insaid tunnel. c f

2l. A lehr comprising an inclined tunnel, a member forclosing'thc upper portion lof theupper end of said tunnel, and a mem ber for closing `,the lower portion of the upper end of said tunnel, said members being offset relative toy each-'other longitudinally of said tunnel and adapted to ret-ard the ilow of air through said tunnel and to permit ware to be inserted vertically between said members in depositing it in said tunnel.

22. A lehr comprising an inclined tunnel, means forretarding the flow of air through the entrance of said tunnel, `said meansincluding a bale memberclosing the upper portion of the entrance andabaiiie member closing the lower portion of the entrance, said baiile members beingoiset with respect to each other to permitv ware to be inserted therebetween in depositing it in said tunnel. 23. A lehr comprising a tunnelaa member for closin the upperV ortion ofthe entrance end of sai tunnel, and the lowerportion ofthe entrance end 0f said tunnel, said members. bein offset with respect toeach other to permit ware to be inserted between said members in depositing it 'in said tunnel.

a memberjfor closing 24. :A lehr comprising a tunnel having a i `wall including a member provided with. a

iiues'on one side of said member and a series of heat-reflecting surfaces on the other side thereof. v

' 25. A vlehr comprising a tunnel having a Wall thereof formed of a plurality of sheet orming a serieso metal members provided' with a plurality of -corrugation's,Y saidcorru ations forming a series ofilues on one sidi of said members and a series of heat-reflecting surfaces on the other side thereof.V

26. A lehr'comprising a tunnel having a` f wall thereof Vformed of a plurality of sheet metal members, each provided with'aplurality of longitudinally extending corrugations,` said corrugatio'ns forming a seriesof' ilues on one sideof said members and a se.-

ries of heatreflecting surfaces on the other side thereof.

27. A lehr comprisingia tunnel having a wall thereof formed of a plurality of sheet metal members arranged in end-toend relation longitudinally of the tunnel, each of said meinbers being provided with a lplurality of` longitudinally extending corrutgations, said corrugations forming a series o iiues on one /side of said member and a series of heat reother on the other side'thereof.

28. A lehr comprismgfatunnel, a wall of fleeting surfaces disposed-at an angle to each members, each having aplurality oflongisaid bridging mein r.

, plurality of spacedflues, an

'of insulating material.

` terial.

which is constructed of a plurality of sheet' lapping relation with eachother longitudiinetal members, each having `a, plurality of nally of said tunnel, and'means for permitcorrugations formed therein, and a sheet tin metal member arran ed to extend across said each corru ations tobri ge the same to form a" 38. A lehr comprising a tunnel, the bottom plura ity of ilues.v of whichconsists of a bed of refractory ma- 29. A lehr comprising a tunnel, the top tei-inl, a wall of which consists of a plurality of sheet nel mem ers mounted on said bedand miof said members.

lurality of inverted-metallicchaiimetal members, each having a plurality of 'ranged in end-to-end relationlongitudinally corrugations formed therein, a sheet met-al of said tunnel to provide a flue beneath the member bridging said corru ations to form a Same, means for securing each of said inem- 8D OutSlde ill-yer bers to said bed at one end of said member,

I to permit said membei to expand longitudi- 30.` Alehr comprlsmgatunnelthe topwall nally in an oppositedirection, and a yieldof which consists of a plurality of sheetmetal able joint between. said members,

39. A lehr comprising a tunnel having a tudinally extending corru'gtions formed. bottom composedV 0f 9, vplurality 0f members therein, a sheet metal member bridging said arranged in end-to-end relation, an edge of tlrl'llgaftolls t0 form 'a- Phiraiity 0f SPa-Ced each of said members being provided with a ues, an

31- Aihl' COmPriSin atmmi the tol) mail edge of an 'adjacent member, and foi-ming f Which Consists 0f a P liraiity 0f ilmer Sheet therewith a sliding connection to accommo- 911 Outside layl' 0f insulating m11- .flange offset relative to the'top plane of said members, and adapted to underlie another meta-i members, eich. having a Piuraiityf 0f date movement of said members in a horizon- Corrugatioris f rmeri therein Sheet metal tal directioncaused by the expansion and member bridging said corrugations to form vcontrmmion of Said.members a plurality of spaced dues, and an outside .4a A lehr cmprising .a tunnel havingl a iayer 0f mslliatm -matermi Supported hy .bottom composed cfa plurality of members i arranged in endtorend relation, an edge of hinnelth topwll sich of said members being pm vided .with a 32. A lehr comprisin a of which consists of a p urality of sheet mem.`v flange offset relative tothe top plane of Saidv herseach having@ plurality Ofcorrugatiohs members, and adapted to underlie another formed therein, asheetmetal member bridged e ing said corrugations to form a plurality of reactory Packing" SaidV ange formmg a spaced' fines, 111 Outside layer '0 msultms. sliding .connection with the edge of said aamaterial, and expansion )oints provided be-v tween said members. f

33. A lehr comprising a'tunnel having a bottom constructed of a plurality of metalmembem v lic members having a sliding connection with.` 41. A lehr comprising a tunnel having n ehpther t0 permit 0f their independent BX'- boaom omposed of plurality of metallic PimSmi-if f members arranged in end-to-end relation 34 A Ichi.' .omPrSm. a tunnel having longitudinally of the tunnel, an edge of each bottom consisting of a ed of refactory maof said mgm-bers being pmvidedwith a h0,.i

said members in a horizontal direction caused terii imfi fr Phlriity 0f memiii" membem lzontal flange oiset relative to the top-plane each havin me emi Secured t0 Said" bed to of said member and adapted tounderlie the jacent member, to accommodate movement of' of an adjacent member andsupport a 1 I 10o Yby the expansion and contraction of said I i Permit Sai members. t0 @Pand in a iiingi" edge of theopposite end of the adjacent n ieinp .i

tudiml directionj i lberand su rt a refractory packinl there- 35. A lehr comprisng'a tunnel, the bOttom between, flangeand packing gol-ming l of which consists of a plurality of inverted.' a sliding joint with the edge 0f Said adjacent longitudinally extending metiiii channel members to accommodate longitudinal move.-

` members arranged in end-to-end` relationto ment-.0f Snidmembers caused byexpen-Sion provide a fluebeneath said tunnel, and means ',md contraction. iA v for tiaiisihggs t0 iiPYV thmugh Said'iiue- 42.- .A lehr comprising a tunnel having a 36- A iehr comprising a tlmheis the bottom bottom composed of. a plurality of metallic ofwhich consists of a plurality of` inverted. 'members grmnged'in end-to-end relation, an metallic channel members arranged in end-toedge end relation in pairs lo tunnel to provide a piuraity of lues beneath for packing, said e Said' tunnel, mi mes-11S .fOr intltriiiectmg un erlie an edge of the adjacent mem r and said tlues to equalize .the draft therein. forming therewith a'slidin'g joint to accom;

of each of said members being provided Dgltlldlnaiiy 0f Silld with a channel adailted to contain aretinoannel being ada ted to iehlimpl'isng a tunnel, the bOttin 'inodate movement of said members in ahori-l of which consists of a'plurality of inverted zo'ntal direction caused by the expansion and metallic channelinembers arranged' Vin over-I contraction of saidmembers.

, "macs 43. A lehr comprising a tunnel having' a bottom composed of a plurality of inverted metallic` channel members arranged in endto-end -relation longitudinally of the ,tunnel to form a ue beneathsaid tunnel, the horizontal portion of each of saidmembers being provided lwith a channel olset relative to the plane of said horizontal portion and adapted .to contain a refractory packing and to underlie the opposite end edge of the horizontal portion of an adjacent member and forming therewith a sliding connectionbetween said members to accommodate movement of said members in a longitudinalv direction caused by expansion and contraction. A

`454. A lehr forannealing glassware comprisingl a tunnel, a flue associated with said tunnel, means for causing a heating medium to low through said flue, the said liuc being divided into a plurality of independently controllable heating zones, and means, in-

' clu'ding spaced dampers, for increasing or decreasing, at will, the temperature in any of the said zones. v f

45. A lehr for'annealing glassware comlprisng a tunnel, a lueassomated with said tunnel and adapted t0 conduct a heated me` diumin a substantial rectilinear path longi- .tudinall of the tunnel, said flue having a plurality o contiguous controllable temperature controlling zones, means for causing a heated medium to flow through 'said flue, andmeans including-spaced dampersfor independently or ecreasing at tunnel maybe controlled. v

controllin at will the temperature drop in any of sai zones;

46. A lehr for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel, a flue having a substantial portion thereof in'heat transferring relation with thetunnel and adapted to conduct a heated medium therethrough lto control the temperatures in the tunnel, the said portion of the flue being disposed entirely beneath the tunnel and having a plurality of independently controllable zones, and meansincluding spaced dempers, for increasingor decreasing at will the temperature drop' in any of. sai/d zones, whereby the temperature gradient within the tunnel may becontrolled.

47. Alehr foranncaling glassware comprising a tunnel,a ilue associated with the tunnel adapted to conduct a heated medium vlongitudinally of the tunnel tofdirectly cohtrol Vthe temperature o f bottom portions only of said tunnel, means for causing a heated medium r,to lflow through said flue, including a heat generating means, means for producln a draft in said flue, means, including spaced dampers, located beneath-the tunnel for dividing 'thellue linto a plurality of independf,

entl controllable zones and for increasing will the temperature drop throughout an of said zones, whereby the temperature o `corresponding zones in'I the 48. A lehr `for annealing glassware, comprising a tunnel, a llue associated with the tunnel, means for causing a heated medium to flow through said luejto directly heat the bottom only of the tunnel, and means disposed at intervalsalong said llue to selectively controlthe velocity of the gases passing throu h selective y controlling the Vtemperatures of corresponding portions in said tunnel.

49. A lehr for annealing glassware comprising. a tunnel, alongitudinal flue extendin'g beneath said tunnel, means for causing a heatedl medium to' flow through said flue to heat directly the `bottom only'of the tunnel, 'said flue being divided into a plurality of independently controllable zones, and means.

for varyin the temperature drop in'contiguous zones rom the hotter toward the cooler end of said tunnel.

50. The method' o f annealing glassware which comprises passlng a series of glass articlesl through a tunnel having a bottom of selected ortions of said flue and for there y ticles toy be annealed through a tunnel, ex-v` ternally heating the bottom only of said tunnel by passing a current .of lieated gases therebeneath, and controlling the temperature gradient in the tunnely and the ware .by

varying the rate of heat transfer between the 'glass articles and the bottom of the tunnel in selected zones by selectively varying the heat characteristics of the ases in contiguous zones longitudinally of t e tunnel.

52. yA lehr for annealing glassware comprising a tunnel, a conveyor of low heat mass' movable through said tunnel for trans orting the ware therethrough, while permitting sensitive control of the transference of heat to and from the ware, a flue associated with said tunnel and adapted to conduct a heated medium therethrough, said ilue having a plurality of contiguous controllable temperature controlling zones, means for causing a heated medium to flow through said flue, and means including spaced dempers for independently controllin at "will the temlperaturedrop -in any of sai zones, whereby t e tem rature of the ware may be accurately Vcontrol ed by temi 53.. 4A lehr for annelig. glasswar'ej c Prisingl gggglongatedtunnel, means .for movil.

whereby the ware`is'i'nade quickly responsive '125 a heated medium through said flue, an means ing articles of glassware therethrough, a flue disosed at intervals along said ilue for conextending longitudinally beneath the tunnel tro in the temperatures along -sai'd flue and from a point adjacent to the entrance end hencet ose in corresponding portions of said -10 thereof to a point beyond that at which pertunnel. l 5 manent strains will not be reintroduced mto Signed at Hartford, Connecticut, this 24th the glassware in the tunnel, means for assing day of July, 1928'. v v.1 a

'l VERGIL MULHOLLAND. 

